Radio frequency coil for magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) coil apparatus is described herein for facilitating imaging of a patient positioned within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the MRI system comprising a B0 magnet. The apparatus may comprise a frame comprising a first plate and a second plate disposed opposite the first plate; and an RF transmit coil comprising a plurality of conductors connected in series, the plurality of conductors being would around the frame and forming a plurality of turns. According to some aspects, there is provided an MRI system configured to image a patient positioned within the MRI system, the MRI system comprises a B0 magnet that produces a B0 magnetic field and the RF coil apparatus.

1 . A apparatus configured to facilitate imaging a patient positioned within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the MRI system comprising a B 0  magnet, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame comprising a first plate and a second plate disposed opposite the first plate;   a first RF coil apparatus comprising a first RF coil, the first RF coil comprising a plurality of conductors, the plurality of conductors being wound around the frame and forming a plurality of turns; and   a second RF coil apparatus comprising a flexible substrate capable of being positioned about an anatomy of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first RF coil is an RF transmit coil, wherein the second RF coil apparatus further comprises one or more RF receive coils. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second RF coil apparatus comprises a plurality of RF receive coils coupled to the flexible substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of RF receive coils are oriented such that, when the flexible substrate is positioned about the anatomy of the patient and placed within a B 0  magnetic field, the plurality of RF receive coils are capable of detecting MR signals produced within the B 0  magnetic field. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates of the frame are parallel to each other, wherein the second RF coil apparatus is disposed between the first and second plates of the frame, and wherein an imaging region of the MRI system is disposed between the first and second plates. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors forms a respective one of the plurality of turns of the first RF coil. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of turns comprises at least six and no more than 12 turns. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductors are connected in series. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a plurality of grooves, and the plurality of conductors are positioned in respective ones of the plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of grooves is nonlinear, or wherein the at least one of the plurality of grooves comprises one or more peaks and one or more valleys. 
     
     
         11 . A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured to image a patient positioned within the MRI system, the MRI system comprising:
 a B 0  magnet that produces a B 0  magnetic field;   a frame comprising a first plate and a second plate disposed opposite the first plate;   a first radio frequency (RF) coil apparatus comprising a first RF coil; and   a second RF coil apparatus comprising a flexible substrate capable of being positioned about an anatomy of the patient.   
     
     
         12 . The MRI system of  claim 11 , wherein the first RF coil is a first RF transmit coil comprising a plurality of conductors connected in series, the plurality of conductors being wound around the frame and forming a plurality of turns. 
     
     
         13 . The MRI system of  claim 11 , wherein the first RF coil is an RF transmit coil, and wherein the second RF coil apparatus further comprises an RF receive coil. 
     
     
         14 . The MRI system of  claim 11 , wherein the B 0  magnetic field has a strength between 0.05 T and 0.2 T. 
     
     
         15 . The MRI system of  claim 11 , wherein the B 0  magnet comprises first and second B 0  magnets arranged relative to one another so that an imaging region is provided therebetween, and the first RF coil apparatus is disposed between the first and second B 0  magnets. 
     
     
         16 . The MRI system of  claim 11 , further comprising first and second sets of gradient coils disposed between the first and second B 0  magnets, and wherein the first RF coil apparatus is disposed between the first and second sets of gradient coils. 
     
     
         17 . A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured to image a patient positioned within the MRI system, the MRI system comprising:
 a B 0  magnet that produces a B 0  magnetic field;   a first radio frequency (RF) coil apparatus comprising a frame and an RF transmit coil; and   a second RF coil apparatus comprising a flexible substrate capable of being positioned about an anatomy of the patient.   
     
     
         18 . The MRI system of  claim 17 , wherein the second RF coil apparatus further comprises at least one RF receive coil configured to detect MR signals produced within the B 0  magnetic field. 
     
     
         19 . The MRI system of  claim 17 , wherein the RF transmit coil comprises a plurality of conductors wound around the frame and forming a plurality of turns. 
     
     
         20 . The MRI system of  claim 17 , wherein the B 0  magnet has a magnetic field strength between 0.05 T and 0.1 T.